Bumped

/bʌmpt/ verb

Definition

Past tense of 'bump': to hit or collide with something, or to move something by hitting it.

Etymology

From Middle English 'bumpen,' possibly from Old Norse 'bumba.' The word became more common in English around the 17th century. It's onomatopoetic in nature, resembling the sound of a collision. The past tense is formed by adding '-ed.'

Kelly Says

Bumped is the kind of word that probably started as kids imitating the sound of hitting something—'bump!'—and then adults started using it too, which is how a lot of everyday words get into dictionaries!

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